Bayern face Inter and Real in coronavirus fundraising tournament

Munich (dpa) – Bayern Munich, Inter Milan and Real Madrid will contest a mini-league tournament next year in order to raise funds for fighting the coronavirus in Spain and Italy, the German record champions said Tuesday.

The three continental heavyweights will play the European Solidarity Cup at some point in 2021.

“The coronavirus pandemic has hit Europe hard,” Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said. “Despite all the suffering and all the problems, we in Germany are perhaps fortunate that our healthcare system is proving resilient in this crisis.

“But we have also seen horrifying images from Italy and Spain, both countries among those hardest hit in Europe by the pandemic.”

Bayern said the net proceeds from all three games will be donated to medical facilities in Italy and Spain.

Madrid will host Real v Inter, who will play in Milan against Bayern. Real visit Munich to take on Bayern in fixtures depending on the match calendar and “when football can be played in front of spectators again,” Bayern said.

Bayern will invite 5,000 nurses, carers and doctors to their home game in honour of their doing “an outstanding job for society at the moment,” said Rummenigge.